Age-related patterns of antler development in free-ranging white-tailed deer

Hewitt, David G.; Hellickson, Mickey W.; Lewis, John; Wester, David B.; Bryant, Fred C.

doi:10.1002/jwmg.741

Cited by 16 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Estimated conception dates were derived from foetal measurements (Hamilton, Tobin, & Moore, 1985). Tissue samples and age of potential sires were collected from males captured or harvested during 1999(DeYoung et al, 2009Foley et al, 2015;Hewitt, Hellickson, Lewis, Wester, & Bryant, 2014). Tissue storage methods and laboratory procedures are described in DeYoung et al (2009) andFoley (2012).…”

Section: Timing Of Conceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble‐competition polygyny: Evidence for trade‐offs between foraging and mate search

Foley

Hewitt

DeYoung

et al. 2018

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Patterns of male reproductive allocation provide insight into life-history characteristics. The trade-offs associated with resource and female group defence are well-defined. However, less is understood about trade-offs in species that practise scramble-competition polygyny, where successful strategies may favour competitive mate-searching rather than contest competition and fighting. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) practise scramble-competition polygyny where solitary males search for and assess receptivity of females scattered across the landscape. Physically mature males are expected to do most of the breeding because of the high energetic costs of reproduction and high social status. However, young males may collectively sire one-third of offspring. To gain a better understanding of trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny, we quantified metrics associated with reproductive effort and success. We quantified changes in body mass of harvested males, energetic costs of locomotion based on movements of GPS radiocollared males and timing of reproduction via temporal genetic parentage assignments. Young males (1.5 and 2.5 years old) sired offspring, but their mating success was mainly limited to peak rut, when most females were in oestrus. Furthermore, multiple paternity was common, indicating opportunistic reproduction. Reproductive effort, indexed by body mass loss, was highest in prime-age males (5.5-6.5 years old). Surprisingly, young and postprime males also exhibited significant body mass loss, indicative of investment in reproductive effort. Movement rates increased twofold to fourfold during rut as a function of mate search activities, but cost of locomotion would cause only about one-third of observed body mass loss. Because males are capital breeders, we infer most of body mass loss is due to reduced foraging. In scramble-competition polygyny, the repeated location of potential mates and assessment of their oestrous status appear to be important constituents of male mating strategies. Therefore, mating success may be influenced by time management and spatial memory, and not based solely on social dominance. Thus, reproductive effort should be greater for individuals capable of reducing time foraging. For those that cannot, opportunistic mating opportunities may arise when operative adult sex ratios are low. Our analyses reveal valuable insight into the trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny.

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Section: Timing Of Conceptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble‐competition polygyny: Evidence for trade‐offs between foraging and mate search

Foley

Hewitt

DeYoung

et al. 2018

Journal of Animal Ecology

Self Cite

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“…Traditional harvest management involved liberal take of antlered males and minimal harvest of females; however, a shift toward more intensive harvest management practices has placed an emphasis on the recruitment of males into older age classes through habitat and population management (Shaw and Harper ), which includes appropriate harvest of females (Hamilton et al ). Greater antler size is typically the goal when increasing male age structure because antler mass and number or points tend to increase with age (Hewitt et al ), although balanced male age structures also benefit population fitness through increased male–male competition (Ditchkoff et al 2001 a , b ) and subsequent female selection (Sullivan et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Land use and dispersal influence mortality in white‐tailed deer

et al. 2019

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Restoring male age structure in white‐tailed deer populations has become an important objective for many state agencies aimed at improving herd dynamics. Limiting mortality in the yearling (1–2 yr old) age class is a primary consideration, and regional differences in climate, habitat characteristics, hunting regulations, and hunter behavior complicate the understanding of how specific factors influence the risk of mortality. We used Cox proportional hazard modeling to determine the effects of body size, mean distance to road, dispersal behaviors, use of forested land, and use of land open to public hunting on the risk of mortality for a population of radio‐collared, yearling males (n = 76) in Sussex County, Delaware, USA. Annual survival averaged 0.55 (95% CI = 0.45–0.68), with harvest accounting for 79% (26/33) of all mortalities. Measurements of body size (chest girth, shoulder height, and total length; cm) influenced dispersal probability but not dispersal distance. The best approximating model for mortality risk included a covariate for landownership, whereby mortality risk increased on public land. Among males who dispersed, longer‐distance dispersal was associated with reduced mortality, which contradicts previous research describing dispersal as a high‐risk behavior. The effect of landownership on mortality risk has not been previously identified, especially when regulations regarding harvest of yearling males are similar between landownership types. We observed annual survival rates of 0.69 (95% CI = 0.57–0.82) for deer apparently using private land exclusively during the hunting season, and 0.20 (95% CI = 0.11–0.48) for deer that used public land during the hunting season. Survival rates on private land were comparable to those of other regions actively managing male age structure. These results suggest survival of yearling males in the region is influenced by hunter harvest and the risks associated with dispersal may be minimal in areas where harvest pressure is low, although hunter harvest on public land may limit male age structure on a localized scale. © The Wildlife Society, 2019

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“…Use of 1.5‐year‐old antler size (hereafter yearling antler size) as a criterion for selective harvest management strategies is problematic. If yearlings with larger antlers grow larger antlers later in life compared to yearlings that display smaller antlers (Ott et al , Hewitt et al ), then selectively harvesting young animals could influence genetic structure by increasing intensity of nonrandom hunter selection (Allendorf et al , Mysterud and Bischof ). However, the expression of yearling antler size may be masked by environmental variation (Strickland and Demarais , Monteith et al ) and maternal factors such as parturition date and litter size (Knox et al , Jacobson , Gray et al ).…”

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Antler characteristics are highly heritable but influenced by maternal factors

et al. 2016

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The extent of heritability and predictability of phenotypic characteristics influences directional selection of a species' phenotype by the environment or through anthropogenic selection. Heritability is often related to evolvability, whereas predictability describes the efficiency of using one characteristic to predict another. Characteristics that are highly heritable and predictable may be easily selected for or against. Discrepancy exists in previous reports of heritability estimates for antler characteristics of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and if antler size of young males can be used to predict antler size later in life. We assessed the level of heritability of 6 antler characteristics using captive white-tailed deer aged 2.5-5.5 years and tested if antler size of 1.5-year-old males was a reliable predictor of antler size at 3.5 years after accounting for the effects of litter size and parturition date. Antler characteristics were moderately to highly heritable, whereas 1.5-year-old antler size alone was only a moderate predictor of antler size at 3.5 years. However, predictability nearly doubled after accounting for parturition date and litter size. White-tailed deer antler characteristics are moderately to highly heritable and although hunter selection may influence long-term phenotype for some ungulates, hunter selection is unlikely to manipulate white-tailed deer population-level phenotype because predicting future antler size is inefficient and individual reproductive success is variable.

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Age-related patterns of antler development in free-ranging white-tailed deer

Cited by 16 publications

References 30 publications

Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble‐competition polygyny: Evidence for trade‐offs between foraging and mate search

Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble‐competition polygyny: Evidence for trade‐offs between foraging and mate search

Land use and dispersal influence mortality in white‐tailed deer

Antler characteristics are highly heritable but influenced by maternal factors

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